Disease
by EphemeralSakura
Summary: SasuSaku Canon Verse- An epidemic was spread around Konoha and people are dying. It's up to the medic ninjas to take care of the patients until a cure can finally be produced.
1. Contagion

**SasuSaku Special**

 **.**

 **Title** : Disease

.

 **.**

A/N: Okay… Blame _anushareddy_ for this incredible idea. She gave me full permission to add some words to it and I accepted it right away… This story will be divided in 3 parts and it will have nothing to do with the sasusaku month. There will be some medical vocabulary but nothing too extreme, don't worry… I'll try to rise the tension and the cliffhangers and I hope I can make you anxious through the chapters. Well… That's pretty much it… I hope you enjoy and I hope I can make you cry (just kidding, just kidding haha) Don't forger my Reviews!

.

.

.

 **Part 1- Contagion**

.

.

.

.

 _Epidemic_. Definition: The rapid spread of infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time.

The peaceful days after the war were gone, at last.

After years of prosperity and innovations in the ninja world, people were once again dying. Villagers and ninjas, elders and children, rich and poor; they were all succumbing to the newest threat that took over the streets of the village hidden in the leaves. A threat that was not human nor a divine power or even an animal. It was smaller than a nail, yet with a wider range than a cannonball. Through any path it took, the ending was always the same: death. A massive number of corpses that even after being buried would still contaminate the soil and any possible plantation that grew nearby. It was contaminating the fields, the crops, the water, the animals, and slowly, it was extinguishing all of human kind. That invisible assassin had arrived with full strength in Konoha. And not even the specialists could take care of that disease.

The merciless intruder was soon discovered to be a virus that, once inside the human body, would slowly and painfully degenerate its insides. It would start with the airways, passing to the stomach and finally messing with the inner temperature, causing the person to literally boil inside. The blood pressure would reach its extreme and all the water would evaporate, causing internal burns through the whole body and the agonizing sensation of melting. For those strong enough to survive after that, their eyes would have the immense pleasure of seeing the partial disintegration of the putrefied skin that would only stop when the bones were finally exposed. After that moment, death was inevitable. The body would rot completely and the life that was trapped inside of it would be taken away in one of the most horrible ways known by humanity. No one was safe from it and no future was certain anymore. Death was striking hard and the only ones that could do something were brutally failing. Humanity was being destroyed and the only ones who could stop that massacre were the respected medical ninjas of the Leaf. They were holding countless lives in their hands. However, those healing hands also belonged to imperfect human bodies.

Not even after Pain's attack the central hospital was so full. Hordes of the infected were constantly crossing the entrance door every day and the only kind of organization that could be found in the building was a certain division of people depending on which stage of the disease they were found at. The ones feeling breathless remained in the first and second floors of the hospital, with all the possible oxygen tanks disposable for them. The ones who were already being dried up from inside were occupying the third floor and saline solutions were being constantly injected in their veins as if to try to hydrate them back. Last but not least, the ones suffering from the last stage of the disease were being held on the last floor of the hospital. Those were the ones in the worst conditions and the medics taking care of them were considered to be the best around the whole Fire country. They had to be strong physically and emotionally to take care of those on the verge of death. They had to be the best for they were those patient's last resort. They had to save lives. And more than most of them, the pink haired medic knew what was at stake.

" Sakura! Hurry, mend that man's skin before it's too late!"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!"

Glowing green lights could be seen everywhere in all of the rooms of the last floor. They were mending skin, lowering temperatures, loosening arteries and healing all kinds of internal wounds in order to prevent focal hemorrhages. Many were the medics trying and many were those reaching their limits without any positive result. That virus was fighting against the whole medical squad and the only ones who seemed to be surviving against it were the Slug Princess and her talented apprentice. Unlike the others, master and student weren't being completely beaten by the circumstances. However, it didn't mean they were winning.

"Uchiha-san! Please, I need help here!"

"Go on, Sakura, I can handle this!"

"are you sure, shishou?"

"Hurry up!"

With so many screams begging for help, it was pretty common to see the legendary Sannin doing her best to heal not one, but two patients at the same time. Tsunade was an inspiration to all of those around her and seeing her so devoted to ease the pain of those who were condemned was like a silver lining in the middle of that rain of deaths. At that exact moment, the Godaime was the living personification of hope and the biggest reason why no one had given up yet. Sakura couldn't be prouder of her master at that moment. And to be worthy of being called her student, the pinkette had to make sure to save as many lives as possible. That is her duty as a medic. That is what she was trained to do.

In that improvised ICU, the pink haired medic was constantly running around to aid not only the patients but also her medic fellows who had had their chakra reserves completely emptied. All of the years she had spent training were being rewarded at that moment of despair for she hadn't lost a single life yet. Her hands were still not curing those people, but they were making sure to ease their pain and to stabilize their conditions. She was preventing them from dying and she was doing so with all of her professionalism and abilities that impressed not only her medic fellows but also her master. Uchiha Sakura was saving lives in there. Lives of people she knew and of people she didn't. Lives of people she didn't even have the chance of meeting because another unknown life was in need of her aid. She was working really fast in there, and by doing so, her eyes couldn't really get used to a single person. Instead, her stunning emerald orbs were stained by the most horrendous scenes that not even the fourth ninja war had prepared her for. There were liters of blood making their way towards the white floor and a mix of rotten skin and muscles literally falling off from people's bodies. There were agonizing screams filling her ears and they were all begging for help. They were begging to be saved from that suffering. Those nameless infected were begging to be killed, but no medic could do so. While there was still a chance, no life would be taken away by another human being. That was an order.

At each new patient, a completely different curtain opened to reveal a new surprise. An incredibly high fever, organs that were not working anymore, vomit and countless more symptoms that didn't seem to keep a pattern. Each case was different depending on the person, but eventually they would all cause another death. Each patient expressed a different reaction to being dying, but they all feared the unknown darkness to where their souls would be sent. They all feared being just another nameless victim in the middle of so many others. And this fear could bring out the miserable and inhumane part of their lives. They forgot who they were and they forgot the meaning of being a human.

"What's the emergency here?"

"This man… H-He… H-e…."

The medic that had called for her, although she was older than Sakura and with some more years of experience; was completely freaking out. There were tears streaming down her face and her hands were shaking and her eyes were expressing a total state of fear. It was clear to the pinkette that that woman was not being able to handle the pressure. She was not coping with the idea of having a life in her hands and that it was her responsibility to, at least, soothe their pain. It was her duty as a medic, but in her current conditions there was nothing she could do to help.

"Calm down… I'll take care of this. Go take five."

"Are you sure, Uchiha-san?"

"Yes. Now go. We will still need you here."

"O-Okay…"

The woman left without saying anything about the patient's situation. She left without probably even knowing her own name. That poor soul was more than just tormented by that whole chaos and she was not the only one in such condition. Many more were on the verge of exploding and many more would definitely explode within the next hours of continuous work. That woman was lucky to have been able to take some minutes to rest in the middle of that whole thing. Most of the medics, including Sakura and Tsunade, had been working non-stop for the past couple of days and they didn't intend to stop until the problem was over. They had no time to sleep at all and if not for the food pills, none of them would have eaten anything either. They were all working under inhuman conditions and they all knew about the consequences it would bring to their own bodies once that crises ended. They all knew that what they were doing was reckless, yet, knowing about it didn't make them stop. The whole team was determined to win that battle and produce a vaccine so that scenario wouldn't repeat itself ever again in the history of Konoha. They were determined to cure, but just their determination wouldn't be enough.

Once Sakura was left alone with that man, her observing eyes started to examine his body in search of the most critical symptom. The man was in his fifties already and she noticed how his cracked lip were evidencing his dehydration. For his clothes were completely soaked in sweat, the pinkette also concluded that his temperature was higher than normal and by the scratch marks on his arm she also concluded that the inner burns were creating an immense discomfort. That man was not in the worst of the conditions at that moment but he certainly would be if she didn't initiate the procedures soon. She had to be fast if she wanted to save his life. And that was the one thing she wanted the most at that moment.

"Sir, I need you to tell me where does it hurt the most."

"What?" His half closed eyes focused on the owner of such voice and he certainly didn't like what he saw. "Who are you? Where is the medic that was taking care of me?"

"My colleague went to help another person and I'll be the one responsible for you. Now please, tell me what you're feeling."

"Feeling? Help another one? H-How did she have the courage to leave me to a nurse?!"

"Sir, I need you to keep calm. I am also a medic and I am also qualified to help you, but I need you to cooperate with me now."

"No… NO! I don't wanna die because of a medic like you!"

The man started to scream, attracting the attention of many patients and medics that were around them. His eyes widened as he was struggling to move his body away from Sakura. Apparently, he did not know that the one who was about to take care of him was trained by the best medic in the whole world. And due to his current conditions, Sakura doubted he would even listen to her if she tried to explain.

"You are not going to die, sir. You are in good hands, I assure you."

"NO! Bring that woman back! Don't you dare play with my life, you brat! You don't even know what you're doing!"

Before she could even answer him, the man tried to stand up from the bed where he was laying. He certainly did not want to be treated by such a young girl at crucial times like that. He did not want his life to depend on someone so inexperienced like that girl and even if she knew he was overreacting a little, the pink haired Uchiha understood his point of view. She understood that he was afraid for his life but she also understood what was at risk at that moment. She knew her own qualities as a medic and she knew that his state was not stabilized at all. One single move could cause his tissues to fall and that was not what she wanted. That was not in her plans. So, when she saw him moving, her hands went immediately to his torso in order to hold him back down and prevent any brusque movement. Unfortunately, her delicate hands weren't strong enough to prevent anything.

When the man felt her gloved hands on him, his muscles quickly sent them away in reflex. Due to the immense strength he used, not only he pushed the pinkette away, but he also made a considerable part of his arm fly away and fall flat on the floor. At that moment, her emerald eyes widened in shock. She knew things were not going to be okay after that and she was right. After his brown eyes saw that his bone was totally exposed and that there was blood running down his skin; all that was left of his self-control simply disappeared. All his humanity was gone.

"W-What the hell is going on…!? M-My ARM!"

"Calm down, sir! If you move, it will only get worse!"

"Calm down?! Is this all you can say?! How the fuck am I supposed to calm down when a part of my flesh literally jumped away from my body!?"

"I know it's bad but it's important for you to calm down… You're still sick an-"

"No! I'm not sick! I am dying! I am dying and there is nothing a useless girl like you can do to save me!"

"Hey, calm down, sir!" The blonde Yamanaka stepped in, not stopping her own work while doing so. " Sakura is one of the best medics we have here! Show more respect!"

"Oh… One of the best?! If you, pinky, is one of the best we have here, then we are all doomed. We are all going to die by the end of this night!" He turned around, looking at Ino and at the others. Fear clearly being spread around the room.

"You bastard… I should-"

"Ino!" Sakura stopped her, turning her fierce emerald eyes to the back of that man. If he kept going on about the inevitable death, all the other patients would also go crazy and the chaos would be a lot bigger, if that was even possible at that moment. She had to stop that man. If she wanted to save him, she had to shut his mouth. However, the one who became speechless was no other than the pinkette after the seconds that followed her words.

At the exact moment he turned to face the Uchiha, the whole room went mute. No voice came out and even the screams were swallowed by the horror. The whole definition of horror itself was swallowed by that man's face. It paralyzed every single soul from that room and spread fear around every single patient. They were seeing their future in that man. They were seeing how they would look like in a few more hours because of that virus. They were seeing their death. And Sakura certainly had a quite privileged view of that traumatizing end.

"What are you looking at, pinky? Never seen a dead man before?"

Her lungs were begging for air as her throat went dry. Her heart was beating faster and she couldn't not keep her emeralds locked on that man's face. It was something she had never seen before. It was something that would never leave her worst nightmares and it was something that could not be healed. It was the one thing sentencing that man to death.

As he approached her, the marks of his disease were becoming even more evident in his face. His eyes were shaking, as his lips became even drier and the wholes around his eyes became even deeper. His weak body stumbled at each step taken, and consequently, the parts of his flesh that had already lost the connection to his body became even more deformed. Apart from the exposed bone on his arm, his cheekbones were also making contact with the external world. At each stumble, more flesh would slip through his skull, leaving some of his teeth and a part of his jaw completely exposed and stained in blood. That man was slowly being turned into a skeleton right in front of her eyes and she was not sure of what she could do to help him. He was languishing on death row and she would be one to judge his poor soul.

"H-Help me…"

Should she let him die like a skeleton?

"P-Please… help me…"

Should she give him the opportunity to be a human again?

"I'm begging you… Help…"

Should she do anything?

Yes, she knew she had to do something. And even it went against the rules, it had to be done by her life-saving hands. It had to be done.

Uchiha Sakura was about to ignore an order.

"KILL ME!"

Her hands worked fast and her knife was sharp as the wind. In a single moment a half skinned head was resting on the floor, right next to its body of origin. That man was down. He was dead again and all she could think about was that his agony had come to an end. Sakura knew she was being selfish, yet, it seemed to be the right thing to be done. It seemed to be the only way to give him back what was left of his humanity. It seemed to have been the only way to bring him peace. And she was right. Deep inside, she was right and every single person in that room also agreed with her. However, what she did could not be ignored. It could not be forgotten. Nor by her colleagues nor her other patients.

The silence that enveloped the place for about one minute was suddenly broken by the desperate sound of tears. They seem to belong to a woman that was resting some beds away and more than ever she seemed to be losing her hopes of being healed. That woman was entering in a state of shock for fearing having her head cut like that. She was also losing her sanity in the same way that man lost moments before. She was starting to die. And if someone didn't do anything, then not only that woman, but all of the other patients, would share the same destiny of that headless man.

" Keep your things together!"

The blonde woman raised her voice, shaking every soul of the room. Due to her experience in times like that, Tsunade already knew exactly what to do. Even if she was about to sacrifice her apprentice, it would be the best to be done.

" None of you are going to die like this! Our team is going to make of that!" The Godaime raised her voice again in attempt to control the situation.

"B-But it was a girl from your team that cut his head off!" One by one, the patients started to speak, shaking in fear.

"Yes! How can we know she won't do it again?!"

"I-I can explain!" The rosette whispered, still watching the blood of that man slide down her blade.

"Sakura! Get out of here immediately!"

"What?! But I can't leave right now, Tsunade-sama!"

"Leave right now! Go home and rest."

"I don't need rest! I want to help!"

"Sakura, this is an order!"

Honey colored eyes locked with forest green ones and the pinkette knew her master was not joking. In fact, never before Tsunade had given her student such a murderous glare. A glare condemning her actions. A glare telling her how disappointed she was at her student. A glare sending her away. And against that glare nothing can be done by the pink haired Uchiha.

Not wasting any more second, Sakura ran away from that room with tears threatening to pool in her eyes. She passed through the door, ran down the hallways and finally ended up in one of the bathroom's cabinets. She couldn't hold back anymore. All of those wounds, and deaths and that man's head were all just too much for her stomach to bare. The girl opened the vase and vomited all of that grudge that had been suffocating her throat. She threw it all out, including her master's disapproving glare. Sakura still couldn't believe everything that had just happened in that room. She had cut off a man's head, for god's sake. Perhaps a rest would really fit her well. Perhaps that rest would prevent her from getting lost in madness forever.

Passing the main door of the hospital, a new air quickly refreshed her lungs. After long and tiring three days, her emerald eyes were reunited with the night sky and with a cooling autumn breeze. She had been inside that hospital ever since the quarantine state had been declared in Konoha and that was the first time she walked around those empty streets of the village she calls home. That virus had really knocked the life out of that place and not even Naruto's childish smile would be able to cheer anyone up. For the people were afraid and any contact with the external world should be avoided, all of the villagers were locked inside their houses with their families, waiting for that crises to pass. They were waiting for a cure, but that cure was still not even close to be ready. Yet, no one needed to know about that. No one needed to know that sometimes hope doesn't mean a thing against something as strong as that virus. All they needed to know was that people were working on that and soon their beloved ones would return home. Soon, the families that were separated because of that disease would all be together again. And that was the one thing her raven haired husband wanted the most.

Like most of the medics that were working unstoppably at the hospital, Sakura also had someone waiting for her at home. She made him promise to stay there until all that mess ended and she even blackmailed him emotionally so he would listen to her words. If there was one thing she could not allow was having Sasuke being infected by that virus. He is the love of her life and she was sure that if anything happened to him, all of her courage and determination and pretty much all of the other things that made her who she is would disappear. Sakura would die inside if the one agonizing in a bed was him. She would die if something happened to him. Therefore, all the care in the world wouldn't still be enough to protect her most precious treasure.

When the Uchiha reached the door of her house, the first thing she did was getting rid of her clothes. She took off her shirt and her skirt and her boots and even her underwear, not caring about being seen naked at all. She threw it all away in a special trash can that would be soon incinerated and quickly used her medical techniques to sterilize her own body from any possible contamination that could be stuck in her. It was only once she was one hundred percent sure that nothing could affect him that she entered her own house and wrapped her naked body in a towel left there especially for her. Once wrapped in that towel, she could finally consider herself at home. She could finally take a look at his bright dark pearls after three endless days.

"Tadaima…"

There was a certain silence for some seconds, but by the time she stepped on the wooden floor of their house, the tall figure of her husband appeared in front of her. He looked as beautiful as always and he looked healthy too. Her husband was healthy, and more than ever, relieved to see his wife after so long.

"Okaeri, Sakura. "

She offered him a tender smile as her feet made her stop right in front of him. She could feel her heart beating a little faster in excitement for finally seeing him after so long. He seemed so different, yet exactly the same as three days before. He seemed more mature and serious, yet she could see tenderness in his eyes as he looked her with those intense dark eyes of his that simply drove her whole self insane. Because of those eyes, she could feel her body urging to hug him tight and kiss him hard and to look for comfort in those strong arms of his. She could feel her heart telling her to let go off of all of the things that were making it so hard for her to remain strong and everything inside of her was basically telling her to allow herself to cry after so long. However she knew she could not do any of that yet. It was still not safe even after the procedures she took before entering her house. There was still one more thing to be done until she could get rid of that whole medic facade that was keeping husband and wife away from each other. There was still one more thing until she could, finally, show him how much she had missed him. Oh, and how she missed him.

" So, how are things there?"

"The same… Still no cure for that virus."

"Hn. And have you been taking care of yourself?"

"… As much as possible, I guess…"

" This is the one thing that worries me the most… Have you eaten properly?"

" … I tried…"

" Tch, honestly… " He sighed. At least she was being honest with him, he thought. " Dinner is ready. Lets go eat it." He offered her his hand, but she did not take it. Instead, she looked down a little depressed and faked a smile.

"I will take a shower first… I'm not hungry so… You can go eat, Sasuke-kun."

"No. I will wait for you to finish."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes… Don't take too long and don't lock the door."

She smiled tenderly at him, nodding her head. Sasuke was surely worried about her.

"I'll leave it open… Don't worry."

"Hn. Hurry up then."

Her emeralds widened for a moment before she could finally make her way towards their bathroom. There, she removed her towel and stepped under the scalding water so she could clean her whole body. She brushed her teeth until they bled, took the sponge with soap and rubbed it against her skin with all of her strength as she thought about the previous days. Her memory remembered about all of the deaths and about all of the screams and about that man's face. That horrible face that brought nausea to her and how suddenly his head fell flat on the floor after being ripped from its body. Everything was still really hard for her to face but her master's glare was definitely the most shocking moment of those days. That glare took her breath away and shed her tears before she could even decide to cry. That glare simply killed the medic that was inside of her and she didn't know if she would be able to revive her before the next day arrived.

Without taking any further, the pinkette stepped out of the box as soon as her bath was done. She waited for the water droplets to slide down her curves and she observed as they followed their way through her soaked pink locks. Her hands went to grab her towel, so she could wrap herself in it and protect her body from the coldness of her room, but she gave up as soon as her memories returned to her mind. She decided that she wanted to feel the cold breeze striking her body and sending shivers down her spine. She decided that she wanted to feel cold in a world where many people were literally being cooked alive to death. She needed to feel cold to know she was still alive. And cold was exactly what she felt after stepping out of that bathroom and having those dark eyes piercing through her bare body.

"Sasuke-kun…"

In a sudden reaction to his presence there, the pink haired girl couldn't help but trying to cover her intimate parts with her hands. For some reason Sakura did not know, she was ashamed of her body and she didn't want him to see it even if he had already touched every single inch of it. She was ashamed of herself and that shame was blinding those beautiful eyes of hers for the world that was right in front of her. Luckily, his eyes were there to guide her through that moment of blindness she was facing.

"I- I didn't know you were out here, sorry…"

" Sorry? What for?"

"Because…" She avoided eye contact, feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation. "Because I shouldn't have come out like this… This room isn't only mine, after all…"

"Hn, I don't mind…"

" Still… I'll go put on something more appropriate."

"Hn."

With her head lowered in respect, the pinkette made her way towards her wardrobe as his eyes paid attention to her every move. It is true that Sasuke was glad for the opportunity of seeing her naked at times like that. By doing so, he was able to confirm the one thing he already suspected from the moment she stepped in their house. He confirmed that in the past three days his wife had completely neglected her own needs and had recklessly ignored her own health. Due to how her waist was thiner and how her dark circles had dark circles and how her chakra was basically zero; Sasuke knew what she had done-or had not done- and this infuriated him more than ever. How come she put the others' needs before hers? How come she could simply allow her body to perish while taking care of others? How come he could still not be mad at her for doing it all to herself?

Even if he felt like arguing with her at first, this idea soon disappeared from his mind once he realized how exhausted she was after having used all of her strength in order to save other lives. Sasuke was impressed by her courage and by her determination but seeing her like that simply killed him inside. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted her to stop hurting herself like that and he wanted to save her from any possible ghost that was haunting her thoughts. He wanted her to tell him everything that had happened, without hiding any sordid detail. He wanted to know, but he would never force her to talk.

After slowly standing up, the raven haired man careful went after his wife, stopping right behind her. Without bothering to say anything, he simply kissed the back of her head for exactly five seconds, making her whole body relax and let out all of the air that had been stuck in her throat. Sasuke could never imagine how that simple kiss had made her feel good. It was just a kiss on the head, yet it meant the whole world for her at that moment. It meant the world that was not taken over by that virus. It meant the world where people were still smiling around was still there and just that meaningful kiss was enough to bring back a bit of her shaken confidence in herself. Her husband is, indeed, an incredible man.

"… Thank you…" She whispered.

"Hn. I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

" I'll be down in a minute."

After those brief words, he left the room and Sakura found herself some comfortable clothes to wear. She went down the stairs to meet him at the kitchen and during their dinner none of them discussed anything related to the virus. Since her eyes were still so dull, Sasuke thought that she was still not ready to open up about the things that happened. The male Uchiha decided to leave her be for a couple of days more, for when the time came, he would be there to listen to her in the same way she listened to him during his own stormy days. He was decided to give her time for he knew that was the one thing she needed at that moment. Time was her keyword.

The dinner ended quickly and his eyes observed that she didn't eat as much as he would have liked her to have eaten. Still, he was sure that that had been the best, if not the only, decent meal she had had in those past 3 days. And he was right, of course he was. His wife had simply skipped meals and that was why she had lost a considerable amount of weight. Sasuke would certainly have to take care of that once that epidemic was over, but at that moment his priority was also making her rest for he could bet his other arm that she hadn't closed her eyes in the past three days. And again, he was right. However, making her sleep would be a bit easier than making her eat. Sakura was exhausted, and soon, she would collapse somewhere in the house. And he would be there to take care of her as she enjoyed her precious rest.

" Are you going to bed already?" He said, placing his hand in his pocket and looking straight at her.

" Not yet… I just need to check something in a book before."

" Can't you do this tomorrow?"

" I won't have time tomorrow… I'll be heading off to the hospital first thing in the morning. I need to see If the books in the library say anything about this virus."

" Hn… And how long will you spend there?"

"Until I find it, of course."

"No, you won't."

" Excuse me?"

" Exactly what you've heard. You came home to rest after 3 hard days. I won't let you spend the whole night awake, Sakura."

" But Sasuke-kun, I have to fi-"

"No buts. You have one hour to find it. If you don't come to bed in one hour, I'll take you by force, you hear me?" His eyes were determined and he was certainly not joking at that time. There was no use on going against him whenever he was like that. And Sakura knew it better than anyone.

"… Yes."

"Good. Now good luck. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay…"

And so, they parted in different directions in the house. He went to their room and she went to the library where she kept all of her medical books. With her quick eyes, the girl started to inspect them one by one, hoping she would find anything that would eventually lead to the cure of that disease. She looked for it in the viruses book, in the emergency book, the rare diseases book and she even looked for it in the mortal epidemics book. Yet, she found nothing. Nothing that could help her treating those people and nothing that could be called IT. Perhaps she was missing something really obvious or perhaps the answers she was looking for were just too complex for her. Perhaps humanity was doomed, indeed or perhaps its safety wouldn't be only in her hands. What if she could share that burden? What if she could share that pain? What if she could share the death of so many lives? No, even if it felt relieving, sharing was not an option at that moment. The burden was all hers to carry and she wouldn't let anyone else suffer because of that. She would find the cure herself. However, she would have to find the way to her own bedroom before. Her hour was almost over and her body wasn't being able to hold itself up anymore. Sakura was going to collapse in a deep sleep and she wouldn't even have time to return to her bed. She wouldn't be strong enough to win against her own tiredness. Thankfully, she wasn't alone in that battle.

Once her time limit reached its end and the pinkette didn't show up, her worried husband wasted no time before going after her. He went to the library and found out that there was something heavy preventing the door from opening. That girl, he thought, she had locked herself in so he wouldn't force her to sleep that night. Sakura was certainly a reckless girl at times of emergency, but at that time she was not being reckless. She was just being tired.

"Sakura… open up." He said, shaking the door. " I won't ask twice before opening it by force!"He shook it one more time, and suddenly the door became lighter allowing him to smoothly slide it open. Apparently she had listened to his words, he thought. However, once he entered the library to see an exhausted Sakura fast asleep on the floor and with her back close to the door, then he understood that her own body had listened to its own needs. At that moment, Sasuke's heart felt at ease.

" Silly…"

He said, leaning down and picking her body up from the floor. He carefully lifted her body, resting her head on his shoulder and supporting her back with his right hand. Then, he slowly took her to their bedroom, placing his wife delicately on their bed. At that moment, she let out a tired sound that brought a smile to his stoic face. Sasuke then covered her body with the blankets and found himself a comfortable spot next to her. His hand went to caress her cheek and slowly lifted her chin up so he could press his lips softly against hers. Sakura is certainly a beautiful woman, he thought. And even in times like that she was still beautiful. She was still the medic she has always been and she was still that same annoying girl he once met. She was still his Sakura. And he would make sure to support her in all of the ways he could. Always.

"I'm here with you…"

He whispered in her ear, pulled her head to rest on his chest and closed his eyes right after it. He hoped his words would calm her down and that they would take some of her burden away. With his words, he hoped she would be at ease for the night and through all of that epidemic.

But those were just words. Nothing more.

 _ **End of Part 1**_


	2. Symptoms

**Part 2- Symptoms**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

There was nothing more she could do to save him.

By the time her ears captured the whispering sound of his name in the middle the newest infected, her heart already warned her to be prepared for the worst. Her hands started to shake, her throat went dry and her feet were begging her not to get any closer to the ninjas that had just returned from a mission with the virus in their bodies. They were sent to bring help but no other village accepted Konoha's request. Their mission was supposed to have brought hope to the people and to the medics, but all it brought was despair. Despair and the most terrifying news the pink haired medic could have heard in the middle of the chaos. A simple sentence that made her insides tremble and all of her strings snap. A simple sentence that left her groundless.

" Uchiha Sasuke is infected."

She read the man's lips. She heard his voice and saw the horrified reactions on their faces, but she still refused to believe. It could only be her tired mind playing tricks on her, she thought. They had been together just 2 days before, there was no way he could have gone away in a mission and returned without her knowing about. It could not be true. He could not be sick. He was not sick, or at least that was what she kept repeating to herself while she tried to focus on healing people. Those words were the only things that were keeping the rosette from dropping everything and returning home to check on him. Those were the only words keeping her from going mad. Unfortunately, those words didn't work forever.

When her eyes caught the sight of the next infection seized patient passing through the hospital doors, Sakura couldn't hold back her impulses anymore. His hair was also black and his eyes were also suffering. He was also around his twenties and if not for the different physiognomy, he could trick half of the village hidden in the Leaves. That boy certainly resembled Uchiha Sasuke, and if that wasn't a sign, she thought, then she certainly wouldn't be able to identify those kind of things anymore. That boy was sending her home to her biggest treasure. He was telling her to run to save her most precious life. And that was what she did.

The only thing the pink haired Uchiha did before leaving the hospital was telling her blonde best friend to hang on until she returned. Ino was the only one on whom she could count on and that was why she chose to let the florist know about her latest premonition. And so, with that done, Sakura ran as fast as possible to her own house. She pumped chakra to her feet so she could speed up and she made sure to jump through all of the buildings that stood in between her and the love of her life. The time spent on that short path didn't surpass 5 minutes, but to the pinkette it felt like an eternity. An eternity in which she was still trying to convince herself that all of her worries would be gone once she entered her house and saw him like she usually does, with those dark pearls of his, looking tenderly at her and offering her a warm welcome.

 _She reached her street._

He would be there and in the exact same way of when she left 2 days before.

 _She reached the entrance of her house._

He was going to be okay.

 _She opened the door and saw her husband._

But that was a mere illusion.

At the moment her emerald eyes connected to him, tears started to stream down her face and her hands went to cover her horrified expression. Her knees succumbed to despair and a scream echoed around her house.

"NO!"

The medic clenched her fists and hit the ground as hard as she could as she cried her heart out. Lying just some meters in front of her was the man she calls husband. That gorgeous man that has shared unforgettable moments with her was on the ground, struggling to breath and surrounded by his own vomit. Sasuke was infected, it was true. He was infected by that virus that was destroying her confidence and killing all the happiness she had fought to achieve. That virus was hurting him. And there was nothing she could do to save him. Nothing to take that virus off of him. Nothing to heal him completely. However, she couldn't simply stay there, crying and screaming, while he agonized in front of her. She could not let him die suffering like that. She could not let him go like that, without trying everything.

Once her desperate side surrendered to her inner strength, the pink haired Uchiha, with her nails already ripping her palms, stood up and ran to him, falling shortly after it. Her hands went to rest on his shoulder, spinning his body so his back was making contact with the wooden floor. At that moment, her eyes had a better view of his facial expression and they didn't like what they saw at all. His mouth was opened, his lips were cracked and his chest was desperately rising due to his need of air. Sakura had never seen him like that in years they were together. His condition after his fight against Naruto was nothing compared to that and more than immediately she started to do what she was trained to do.

Green lights started to emanate from her hands as she used her chakra to invade his body and end that desperate need for air. She loosened his muscles and freed his airways to make sure nothing would keep the air from reaching his lungs. Apparently, things weren't that complicated compared to what she had seen back at the hospital, but that was probably because he was still in the first phase of the disease. Even if she had treated worse cases than Sasuke's, nothing made her feel any more comfortable for the one suffering was still her husband. And this simple detail just made everything a hundred times more complicated.

Without ceasing her chakra injection towards his airways, the girl started to make a deeper inspection in his body. Her chakra wandered around his systems from head to toe and for what she concluded the virus had still not taken over his body, making things a bit more comfortable for her. It meant his life was still not finished and her hourglass was not in the end yet. It meant she would have time to test all of her tricks, but that time was limited, she did not have an eternity. Sakura would still have to be fast to save his life. She would still have to use all of her strength to save her love.

Several minutes after her first move, the pinkette felt his throat relaxing a bit. His breathing was returning to its normal pace and his cheeks' coloration was becoming a little redder again. Sasuke was out of danger for the time being and Sakura would use those moments of stability to take him away from the floor and to prepare all the materials she would need. Luckily, for being the medic she is, the Uchiha had all the equipments she would need in that homemade lab she had prepared for emergency cases. And more than ever, they were experiencing one of those emergencies.

Her hands reached his lower back and slowly she started to lift him up. At that moment, half of his dark eyes was exposed by his eyelids and the male Uchiha managed to steal a glance of his wife who was literally holding all of his weight on her shoulder. He observed how her cheeks were stained with tears and how her green eyes were determined as they looked forward. He felt her strong grip on his body and he felt how fast her heart was beating. His wife was certainly a strong woman and even if he was in such condition, Sasuke couldn't help but noticing how gorgeous she is. Even with that worrying expression and those tired, infuriating eyes, Uchiha Sakura is beautiful. He certainly couldn't have chosen a better view in what could be his last moments on earth.

" S-Sakura…"

"Don't talk. Focus on your breathing."

" But I-"

"I told you to save your breath. This is an order, Sasuke."

It took her only one powerful stare to make him shut his mouth. If there was one thing that he shouldn't do at that time was going against her orders. He knew that she had been under a lot of pressure lately, and after she discovered about his condition, the raven haired man was more than sure that all of that pressure had become even heavier. Maybe going on that mission had made things only worse. Maybe he shouldn't have challenged her words in an attempt of making things better for her. Maybe he shouldn't have left again, but he did, and once again, he was making her suffer. He was making her suffer and because he didn't listen to her when she simply asked him to stay. Fate was really trying hard to teach that stubborn Uchiha a valuable lesson.

Even if being a burden to her wasn't his normal style, Sasuke followed her orders patiently as she placed him on their bed and inserted a saline solution straight into his vein so his body would be hydrated again. He remained silent as she auscultated his lungs and measured his temperature. His eyes noticed the faint satisfaction in her expression as soon as she announced that his body was still not taken by the fever. In the middle of that whole mess, it was good to have at least one good thing to keep their hopes still up. It made them a bit more optimistic about the future and it helped to clear their minds from all that hazy depression. And without that gray aura, it was easier for them to listen to each other's voices.

With the situation stabilized for the moment, the medic didn't waste time in bringing a pile of books from the library to their room. She sat by his side with an open book over her crossed legs and with a pencil hanging over her lips. Her short pink hair was tied up in a messy bun and his eyes observed as some locks managed to escape from the hair clip's trap and caressed the side of her cheeks. If not for her total concentration, the male Uchiha wouldn't miss the opportunity to flirt with his wife for she was looking quite attractive at that moment. Keeping his eyes at her like that certainly brought peace to that infected man and it even made him forget about the disease for some moments, but it just took him a quick glance at his arm for everything to return to his mind. He was infected. He was infected ever since he returned from that mission and because of that, the love of his life was suffering. She deserved an apology. She deserved a better husband too, but for the moment, an apology was the only thing he could do for her. An apology and not dying, of course.

" Sakura…" He said, breathing more comfortably and without nausea anymore. " I am sorry for-"

" Don't apologize… What's done is done…" She said, not taking her eyes away from the book.

" But I want you to know that I am sorry. If something happens to me, I want you know that I regret not listening to you."

She remained in silence, biting the pencil with a bit more strength. Her ears weren't enjoying those words at all.

" You see… I thought that if I went away and found someone, I would help you… But I think I messed up really bad this time…. Hn, even if it is too late, I've learned my lesson this time."

Her teeth were leaving deep marks on the wooden material. That boy would better shut up before she did something stupid.

" If something happens to me, I just w-"

"Nothing will happen to you!" She closed the book with all of her strength and took the pencil away from her mouth before she ended up breaking it in half. Apparently, she had had enough of listening to such words. " Nothing bad will happen to you, Sasuke!"

" uh?" His eyes widened. Finally his teasing was showing results.

" I will cure you… I won't let you… you … " Her tears started to stream down her face and fall on the book's cover. She tried to hold them, but by the time she turned to face him those salty drops were already falling from her emerald eyes. What a tragically beautiful scene it was.

Before she could even complete that sentence with the one word she could not pronounce, her husband offered a tender smile as he reached his hand to her cheek. With his thumb, he wiped her tears away and caressed her soft cheeks. Perhaps, apart from an apology, Sasuke could give her his love to help her go through that whole thing. He would give her love, support, and mostly, trust. And that was the one thing he had the most in her.

" I know you won't… I believe in you."

" Sasuke-kun…" More tears streamed down as his words were warming up her heart. That man was really an idiot but he was the only one that could make her improve day by day. He was the only one that could keep her heart set on the right direction. And for that, she was thankful. " You're an idiot…Why did you have to leave this damn house?"

"I know… Hn, We will get through this, you'll see…"

"Yes, we will…"

And so the hours went by turning into days and things were slowly following its inevitable course. His skin became even paler, his lips were starting to get bruised and that merciless fever was finally hitting him with temperatures higher than 104 F. It was becoming harder for Sakura to cope with his ongoing crisis and her search for a cure for her time was a lot more reduced. Food and rest were two things long forgotten by the pinkette, even if her husband was constantly telling her to take care of herself. At first, Sasuke would get mad and he would even refuse her care until she did what she was told, but when his body lost the power to fight back, the raven haired man saw himself not being able to refuse anything anymore. They were really playing a difficult game in the middle of that situation and it was more than clear to the former avenger that the only one with chances of winning was his wife. Unlike him, she still had a chance of passing to the next level. Unlike him, her game was not over.

As the days went by, his health state degraded quite visibly in his eyes. Sasuke understood that things were only getting worse and that his end was closer than ever. Unlike the rosette, he was not avoiding the cruel reality that awaited for him. He was already conformed that only a miracle could save him, but just because he had accepted his fate, it did not mean he had lost his confidence on Sakura, no. He didn't and he never would. It was just that the reality seemed to be inevitable. Even if she was the best medic ninja he knew and even if she was still not ready to give up, the raven haired man thought that they had finally found something that was stronger than both of them. They had found an enemy that couldn't be beaten and admitting that wasn't that hard for him. Dying wasn't that hard for him. The only thing that was unbearable was seeing the love of his life perishing with him when she still had a chance. When she still had a life to live. And if there was one thing he wanted at a moment like that, was making sure that even after his death, she would still keep living.

Seeing her losing her mind like that was just not right for him. Sakura would spend the whole day reading books she had already read more than three times and from hour to hour an alarm would sound to tell her to check his temperature that refused to remain lower then 100 F. She didn't eat, she didn't sleep and for something that not even she knew what anymore. Sakura was lost in a state of madness, mixed with the medical duty and the fear of losing the one she loves and all that mess in her head was just not taking her anywhere. Time was slipping through her fingers and there was nothing she could to change that. She couldn't change the fact that her books had no answer for her problem and the fact that even after trying literally everything, she had still not found a cure. A cure to stop the time. A cure to save his life, but he didn't want that cure anymore. From her, he wanted nothing more than love.

" Sakura…"

" Are you feeling anything new, Sasuke-kun?"

"No… I just… I just want to talk."

"Talk? There is no time for that. I am still-"

"Sakura."

He managed to lift his torso from the bed so his eyes could be connected to hers. By doing so, he sent her the only message she did not want to receive from him. The one message that hurt more than all of the times her heart broke and all of the attacks she has ever received in her body. That message meant he was giving up and he was going to leave her behind. That message was the one goodbye he never really told her. And she was not ready to see him leaving yet.

After just some seconds with those eyes locked on hers, she felt her tears fill up her eyes, her throat getting tighter and her whole body trembling. Her head started to shake negatively as she tried to find the right words to bring him back to that battle. The right words to make him stay.

" no… no…"

" Come on… We are not kids anymore."

" No, this… this… no."

"Hn, come here…"

He said, offering her his hand. His eyes were showing a tender expression and a defeated smile was playing in his lips. For the most that she didn't want to accept his offer, her feet couldn't help but taking her some steps closer to him until he delicately took her hand on his. Sasuke massaged the back of her hurt hand and he played with her fingers until he intertwined them with his own. Their hands still fitted perfectly, after all. They had the perfect union just like their hearts. And that was something he would never forget.

" Sasuke-kun… Please, let me-"

"No… It's enough Sakura… You're exhausted and it's clear for both of us that there is nothing more to be done."

"Yes, there is… I am still going to… I am still going to find the cure… I am still going to save you…"

" … Hn, silly… You've saved me already… You took me away from the wrong path and-"

"This is not what I am talking about…"

" But it is what I am talking about. You've saved me more times than you could ever know… Even now you're saving me… Thanks to you, I've lived a happy life."

"And you're still gonna-"

"No. Stop repeating those things… We both know what's gonna happen, Sakura… You did your best and I doubt anyone will ever do better than you… You've done all you could. Now all that's left for me is wait."

" … Please, don't do this to me…"

" Look, I am not going to force you… But I would like you to stay with me until the end."

"… Please, don't ask me this kind of thing… Don't go away… Don't leave me…"

" You know that I wouldn't if I could… So, what do you say?"

Her tears were relentless as her eyes got flooded, while her heart got broken into a million pieces. He was telling the truth. He was not hiding anything anymore and deep inside she knew it was also time for her to accept the facts. It was time for her to take her gloves off and enjoy the time he still had left because in some hours he would be gone forever. There wouldn't be a next time for them anymore and he would not see her soon either. It would be the end of everything and the only thing she could do was staying by his side until the end. That was his wish. That was his death wish and she was going to accept it. Even if it hurt and even if it destroyed her inside, she was going to do it for him. One last time.

Uselessly wiping her tears away, the defeated medic allowed herself to be pulled by his side, where she found a comfortable spot next to him on the bed. For the tons of medication she had given to him, the male Uchiha was in no pain at that moment. He was relaxed and he was conformed with his inevitable fate. He certainly wasn't happy but he also wasn't sad, for he would have the privilege to see her and to be by her side until his very last breath. They would be together until his end. And Sasuke wouldn't have chosen a better way of dying. The only thing left to be done was saying all of the things he never did. All the things left unsaid would be finally revealed to the ears of his beloved wife. She would know about it all, at last. It certainly wouldn't sound like him, but he knew it would make things easier for her to understand that it was time for them to say goodbye.

" You see, Sakura… When I'm gone, I want you to be happy."

"This will be impossible, Sasuke-kun…"

"No, it won't… You will need to move on… You still have a whole life ahead of you and I want you to keep smiling and laughing even without me… Maybe you can even find a new guy."

"I could never do this, Sasuke-kun… You're the only one my eyes see… And… And when you're gone… I don't know what will be of me."

" You're still gonna be you… The most perfect girl I've ever set my eyes on… The best medic ninja in the world… I want you to surpass your master, okay? Don't stop until that…"

" How will I surpass her when I can't even find a cure for this virus?!"

"Hn… You'll find a way, don't worry… I trust you…"

At each word said, her heart became even more broken. That was certainly the most cruel thing he has ever done to her. Leaving her behind was killing the Uchiha girl.

" Y-You shouldn't trust me… I… I have killed a man the other day."

"Uh?"

His eyes were set on her for a minute. After all of those days swallowing that burden, Sakura was finally ready to tell him about all that had happened. She was going to tell him about the patients and the blood and she was going to tell him about the man whose head was cut by her. It would all get out of her chest as her one last confession. As her last chance of leaning on him and asking for advice and simply sharing her whole life with her husband. She was really going to miss him.

The minutes that followed her decision were completely taken by her voice as she told him everything. For the first time since their conversation began, the male Uchiha remained completely shut for he knew she had to start building her own strength for the hard times that would soon come. She would have to build herself a strong structure to hold the impacts that would hit within the next hours. She would have to learn how to face her past. And sharing those stories already seemed to be a good start.

In the middle of sobs and deep breaths, Sakura managed to put it all out. With all the details and with all of the names, she told him everything and she was surprised with his lack of shock. Instead of being freaked out or being scared of her, Sasuke simply kept his calm expression and slowly tightened his grip on her hands so she could know he was by her side. So she could know he would always be by her side in the same way she has always been by his. No matter what, no matter where, his place by her side would never be empty.

"I think you did the right thing… I mean, he was suffering, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, but it's not up to me to judge this kind of things… I was selfish."

" When this happens to me, I want you to be selfish too… Don't hesitate on doing the same to me, okay? I don't want to suffer because of this virus."

"… Okay…"

" Thank you… Hn, I feel better now…."

" In what kind of way?"

"Well, it's good to know that there will be someone taking care of me until the end… It's good not be alone anymore."

"Sasuke-kun…"

"… You really have made my life fun, Sakura… You kept your promise and I'm thankful for that."

" No… I am the one thankful for all of our moments… You've made me really happy too… You've made me your wife and if not for this I am sure you would have also made me a mother…"

"yeah… We would really have had a pretty baby, wouldn't we?"

"Yeah… With your eyes and your hair…"

"With your smile and your personality…."He said, caressing her cheek. "It would be the perfect child…"

"Yes, it would… Oh god…"

For some seconds, the rosette finally gave up completely. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tight as she could. Oh how she wanted that to be nothing but a nightmare… How she wanted to wake up in her bed and with him by her side telling her that it had been just a dream… That would definitely be the best sensation in her whole life. A sensation that would make her the happiest girl in the world, but that sensation would never come. That lie was nothing but the cruel reality itself and her reality couldn't possibly be worse without the love of her life. Her life was ruined and no miracle was going to save her. No miracle would save him.

However, just because a miracle can't, it doesn't mean she can't.

Still enjoying their last hug, the male Uchiha couldn't help but letting out his last smirk around her. Something had popped into his mind, and since he wasn't really stopping to think before saying anything, his mouth simply allowed his words to get out. Barely could he had imagined the effect of those words on his wife. Perhaps there was still one last thing she hadn't tried.

"If only the problem was venom, then we wouldn't be like this…"

"Yeah… At least Orochimaru did something good for you when he forced your own body to produce…. Antibodies."

A lamp seemed to have been lit up in her mind. How come she had not thought about that?! How come she had let that pass?! It was certainly a promising idea and it could really work out. It could really save his life. And if she could cure one person, the whole village was going to be a piece of cake. Uchiha Sakura had just discovered the cure she had been looking for. Or at least an idea on where she could bet all of her chips.

"Yeah, I guess he did something good."

" It can work…"

"What?"

"Sasuke…. It can work."

She said, taking her head from his chest and feeling her heartbeat becoming faster in excitement. Her eyes were lighting up again and whatever had crossed her mind, he knew, had a good chance of working. Her confidence was back and soon her body was already standing in front of her medicine cabinet. Her hands were looking in between bottles and tags and it did take her some time until she finally found the needle she wanted. A thin needle that made a huge smile appear on her lips and made his eyes happy to see her so excited. Even if it didn't work, he thought, seeing her like that one last time would mean the world for him. It would give him the perfect last view. However, her smiling face was not going to be his last view. At least not that smiling face of hers.

For the more he tried to understand the reason behind her illumination, the raven haired man couldn't simply complete her puzzle. His eyes followed her as she prepared a shot and some other bottles and he even saw when she went to measure her own blood pressure. Why was she even doing that? Why did she need to know about her own health condition at times like that? Those were frequent questions in his head that he simply decided to keep for himself, but when she literally pulled his belt from his pants and took a small sample of his own blood, then Sasuke thought that it would be a good time for him to say something.

" What the hell is going on?"

"Sasuke-kun!" She said, smiling brightly as she wrapped the belt tightly around her own left arm. " I am going to produce a serum!"

"… Explain yourself."

"It's easy! It's like… when you're bitten by a snake… Since there are no vaccines against it, we inject a serum full of antibodies inside the one who has been bitten so the venom cells can be destroyed by an increased immune system! If I can give you some antibodies, then I can make your immune system work faster and with more precision!"

"Hn." It was a really good idea, as expected from his wife. Still, there was one tiny detail missing in her explanation. " And where are you gonna find these antibodies?"

"I'll produce them."

"Uh? How?"

"It's easy… When producing serum against venoms, we inject the virus in a horse so it can produce strong antibodies that will be used in humans later."

"And how are you going to find a horse right now?"

"I'm not." She said, leaving him more confused than ever. If she had thought about everything, how come she had forgotten about something as big as a horse?

" Then how are you going to produce them?"

"Easy… I will be the horse."

"Uh?"

"I will inject a small quantity of your blood in me so I will also be infected. The small amount of your AB blood won't damage me and then I'll be able use the byakugou to speed up the process of mitosis in my cells, creating even more antibodies against the virus. Then I will give you many antibodies I've produced along with my blood, which won't cause any problem since I am a type O. Theoretically, nothing can go wrong."

"Wait, but isn't it dangerous? Being infected and… What are the collateral effects of this, Sakura?"

"Well… The virus will also be multiplied along with the infected cells and the disease will develop a lot faster inside of me until my immune system starts working… But if it works faster than the disease I guess there won't be any problems…"

"… And what if it doesn't?"

After asking this question, his heart already knew the answer. Of course she would die if things went wrong. She would die doing something stupid for him and he wasn't sure if he should let her risk her life like that. He wasn't sure if he should allow such reckless thing. However, when the idea of staying by her side for some more time crossed his mind, Sasuke couldn't help but getting hyped. He wanted to spend more time with her. He wanted to spend all the time in the world with her. And for that, his selfish side would support her decision. Not that she would need his support to try to save his life. She wanted him to stay by her side. She wanted him all to herself and not only her selfish side was saying that. Sakura wanted his whole self just for her and she wouldn't hesitate on the chance of having what she wanted. She wouldn't hesitate on the chance of keeping him alive.

"Well… if it doesn't work, at least I won't need to see you dying, Sasuke-kun."She smirked, preparing the shot containing his contaminated blood.

"Hn."He smirked back. "I guess it's a win win then."

" It's gonna work… I promise."

" I know… I trust you."

"Hn. Of course you do."

And so, the virus was injected and all of her plan began. With a part of her chakra focused on keeping note of her own state, the pinkette was already activating the seal on her forehead. The purple lines started to spread around her whole body, following its natural curves and drawing the technique passed down through her master all around her skin. Uchiha Sakura had just started the production of her cure, and If that worked, then many lives would be spared around the village and people wouldn't die anymore because of that thing. If that worked, she would prove everyone that she was the disciple of the Godaime… If that worked, his life would be saved. And that would be her biggest reward after so much struggling.

The multiplication of her cells had already started for soon after the injection, his eyes observed how her external looks were changed. Her breathing became faster, her veins started to pop as sweat was streaming down her face. As he simply observed, the apprentice of the Godaime had already recached the fever stage and for what it seemed, there was still no sign of her antibodies work. Was her idea really going to work? He didn't know, but his doubt wouldn't change anything anymore. It was already too late to stop her. All that was left for him to do was put his trust in that woman he calls wife.

As the temperature in her body raised, her hands started to tremble. If her system didn't start answering soon, the female Uchiha would definitely faint and never wake up again. Her antibodies had to start their job asap or else they would never live to see another flu in their lives. They had to work fast. They had to save her. They had to save him. And that was exactly what they were going to do.

After a couple of minutes, the pinkette felt her own system fighting against that virus. It was as if she could feel her inner army punching those creatures away from her, and one by one they were succumbing. Her antibodies were winning that war that was happening inside of her veins and soon she would be able to send reinforcements to his own inner army. She was going to win that war. She was going to save her love.

Once the medic felt that her immune system didn't need her help anymore, she stopped the mitoses and broke her hand seals. It was time to inject her improvised cure inside of him and Sakura couldn't waste a single second anymore. Even if her idea had worked, her body was exhausted after the whole thing. She knew that her eyes would shut down in the next few moments and before they could do it, she still had to save his life.

Her hands quickly and weakly reached for a clean and huge shot and took what seemed to be more than a liter of her own blood. With a bit of the chakra she had left, Sakura managed to put in that sample as many antibodies as she could and after making sure it would be enough, the pinkette started to stumble as she tried to approach her husband. Her eyes were closing, her breathing was shallow and her strength was all gone. She wasn't completely conscious anymore, yet her duty was the on thing guiding her to him.

Her duty as a medic.

Her duty as the apprentice of the Godaime.

Her duty as his teammate.

Her duty as his wife.

And with all of that in mind, the rosette managed to inject the whole content of that shot in his veins before her body completely fell unconscious on the floor. She fell knowing that she had given her best to save his life and she fell knowing that the world could be different when she woke up later. She fell with a smile on her face for knowing that, at last, someone had defeated that virus.

.

.

.

 _ **End of part 2**_


	3. Cure

**..**

 **.**

 **A/N:** Guys, Thank you all so much for all the amazing comments/reviews regarding Disease in the past few days! It's been as amazing experience to write something more technical like and I couldn't have asked for a better answer from all of you, my dear readers…

Well, this is it… This is the last part of the story… The story that has made you cry and soak your pillows and make embarrassing things in front of people who barely know what reading a fanfic is… It may be weird, but I loved all of the reactions you guys had because of the story… It meant you guys felt something while reading these words and this is the best gift I could ever receive.

I wanna thank you all for reading, my amazing beta readers who are constantly helping me improving and a special thanks to _anusha , who gave me this amazing idea. I think it worked perfectly!

Now, after so much balling, I leave you with the last part of Disease. I hope you enjoy!

Don't forget my Reviews/Comments!

.

.

.

.

 **Part 3- Cure**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

For a moment in that eternity, she was resting in peace.

Her mind was completely blank. There was nothing there to fill that stressless emptiness or to cloud that sunless sky that resembled that medic's head. She had all the space in the world and her ideas weren't there to occupy any endless corner of her subconscious. For that eternal moment, she didn't want anything to disturb that perfect state of absence that, for a reason she didn't want to know either, was making everything so much better than before. So much lighter than before. In that white canvas she called mind, the pink haired Uchiha didn't want any color to disturb that infinite solitude. However, as the numbness evaporated from her senses, a shower of colors started to paint her inner walls. Shades of orange, of pink, of gray and even of black were slowly decorating the insides of her soul.

Those shades brought back the precious memories of her life.

They brought back all the smiles and all the tears she has ever shed.

They brought back all the things that made an Uchiha Sakura out of that hollow body.

Those shades, eventually, brought her back to reality. A reality a lot different from the one in which she lived before her collapse. Before that disease.

When she weakly opened her green eyes to see the world, all the colors had melted into a solid white. Her brain took some time to fully interpret what she was seeing, but when it did, it became clear for her that she was staring at a white celling she couldn't really identify from where it belonged. On that first moment of her partial awakening, her body started to recover its sensibility in quite a slow pace. It started in her feet, when she felt the soft and cold sheets falling over her ankles; then it climbed up to her hands that started to move their fingers almost imperceptibly. Some shivers followed their way up to her chest, making the rosette feel every single breath that filled her lungs. It was a comfortable and cold sensation that helped the rest of her body to recover all of its senses and made her get used to the silent atmosphere that surrounded her. Sakura was fully awake once again, and along with her consciousness, the memories she preferred to have forgotten, returned.

His painful face was the first image that lit up inside of her head when the chaos brought by that epidemic was remembered. That man's decapitated head was the next image and the other countless deaths followed by in that reversed time-line that was being rebuilt by her still confused mind. She remembered his last words and how his hand was sweating because of the fever. She remembered both of them waiting for his inevitable death and she remembered about her idea. The idea that could save him. The idea that made her choose to intentionally be infected in order to prevent his eyes from closing forever by the end of that night. Yes, Sakura already remembered it all, but what happened after that? What happened after her memory shut down? Was he dead? Was she dead? She didn't know anymore. And depending on what would be the answer for the first question, the second didn't matter at all.

Once she managed to make her head fall to the sides of what seemed to be a pillow, her forest green eyes carefully started to analyze her surroundings. It just took her a quick glance at the machines and at the design of the room to conclude that she was at the central hospital of Konoha. She was back to that place that was the center of the infection, and for some moments, Sakura felt an unexplainable fear of being there. She didn't want to be back at that place when her help was of no use. She didn't want to see anyone else dying because of that virus, and after concluding that, a sharp pain settled in her heart. If she was there, then it meant her self-healing idea hadn't worked on her and it also meant it hadn't worked on him either. It meant that she had failed in finding a cure. It meant that the love of her life was dead. And that thought was enough to make her eyes shed the most painful tears of her life.

The salty droplets streamed through the sides of her temples and invaded her ears with that wet sensation. Her eyes were closed and she was doing her best to hold her screams inside of her lungs. For the moment, Sakura wanted to be alone and if her screams echoed around those hallways, she knew someone would rush into her room. Someone who would be worried and would give her a pity look that would simply finish burying her in the ground. A pity look for a pity widow that couldn't even save her husband. And that was the one help she didn't need to receive from a stranger. At that moment, she just needed to go back to sleep. A sleep that, if depended on her, could last the eternity she would have to spend without him. Death had, indeed, destroyed their future.

But never their Love.

Turning her head away from the door was the first thing the pinkette did in order to avoid any possible person that could enter her room. During the first moments of her grief, Sakura just wanted to close her eyes and return to that state of unconsciousness she had been trapped into before waking up. She wanted to go back to the white emptiness of her uncolored dreams, where nothing would really cross her mind. She wanted to disappear from that life, but she couldn't even close those stupid, teary eyes of hers. They refused to return to the darkness of her eyelids as they kept exploring her surroundings. They were trying to stay open even if she wanted to close them forever. They were trying to see the world even if she wanted to die. They were trying to appreciate the daffodils that were resting on her nightstand, but she refused to think of flowers at that moment, for flowers reminded her of the dead and the dead reminded her of him. Sakura didn't want to see those flowers or any other flower for the rest of her life. She didn't want to receive them anymore from anyone that not her husband. Unfortunately, the dead don't send flowers. And fortunately, those flowers had been a true love's gift.

It was only when a breeze drove the scent of the daffodils to her nostrils that her eyes captured the one thing that made them widen in the most surprised and wonderful expression that girl has ever wore on her face. Her heart stopped, her throat went dry and her whole body simply wanted to stand up from that bed and go touch that figure that was standing just some meters away. A tall figure that was integrating the scene so perfectly that it didn't even seem to be there. A tall and mysterious figure that stole her heart almost in the same instant. Sakura could not believe in her eyes at that time. She could not believe what she was seeing. On whom she was seeing.

At first, she thought she was seeing a mirage or that it was just a trick played by her mind. She thought she was going crazy and she even considered the possibility of being dead. She considered so many options at that moment but she didn't really care about any of them. She didn't care if that image was real or not or if it would last one-second or an eternity. She didn't care about anything anymore. All she cared about was the fact that he was there, and that she could see him, wearing his usual black vest and leaning against that window as the wind played with his dark locks. His hand was inside his pocket and his eyes were lost somewhere outside of the window. That man was certainly as beautiful as ever and if that really wasn't real, oh life, she just wanted it to last a little longer so she could see his eyes tenderly looking at her. Just one more time and she would be happy. More than just happy.

And thankfully, she had that opportunity.

"Hn, Goo Morning, sleepy horse."

His eyes were, as she had expected, as dark as ever. They were peaceful, calm and so livid that she could swear she could see his heartbeats through his pearls.

His thin smile was also something that caught her eyes. It was just a tenuous thin line, slightly curled up in one corner, yet it meant the world for her. It meant that he was happy enough to smile. That the whole world was allowing him to be happy, but the fact that it was an almost imperceptible smile meant that he was still the same Uchiha Sasuke she has met in her younger days. He was still that same boy she fell in love with even after so many difficult years. It meant he was still her husband. And wether he was alive or not, Sakura was happy just to be able to see him.

" Sasuke-kun…"

She smiled back, using her arms to help her sit up. At the sight of her struggle, the male Uchiha, more than wilingly, walked to her side, placing a hand on her back as he helped her straightening her column. When she felt his warm hand grasping her own, Sakura couldn't help but feel at ease. His touch just felt so real and so relaxing that, for one moment, she allowed herself to be completely taken by such feelings. She was taken by his touch and by the way he was looking at her and by how close he was standing from her. All of that mixed with the fact that he was her husband and the love of her life. Not being affected by it would certainly be impossible considering who she really is.

"So… How are you feeling? You've slept for a long time, Sakura…"

" I am okay for now…" She smiled, caressing the back of his hand with her thumb. " As long as you're still here with me, I'll be okay."

"Hn, I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

" I am happy to hear it… I don't mind going crazy if that means I'll always be able to see you, Sasuke-kun…"

"… Why would you go crazy?" His brows arched in confusion for a second. Perhaps his wife was still not fully recovered from the whole thing, he thought.

" Ah… Because… You're not real, are you?" She said, reaching the palm of her hand to rest on his cheek. " You are… You are not really here…"

For some seconds, the male Uchiha didn't know how to react to her words. Of course he knew she had just woken up after days of recovering and her head was probably still not connecting all the information. He didn't expect her to be totally fine, but thinking he was a fruit of her imagination was, perhaps, a bit too much for him. Still, he would give her time to get used to his presence. He would give her time to realize he was alive.

"Sakura… I am as real as you, don't worry."

"… Then, am I dead too?"

"Tch, silly." He said, flickering her forehead and winning a childish pout from his wife. " None of us is dead, I guarantee it…"

"Uh? How come?"

" Well… Your crazy idea worked in the end… You've found the cure, Sakura."

Her heart started to beat a little faster as she tried to look for any hints of lie in his eyes. Sakura was searching for any sign that would prove he was not serious and that the reality was still that one in which he had lost his life to that virus. She was trying to find any mistakes in his words, but fortunately, there wasn't any.

Looking at her a bit more tenderly, Sasuke took her hand from his cheek and held it tight enough to show her the reality behind his words. His dark pearls wouldn't leave her emerald eyes and the raven haired man simply stared at her as he waited for the answer to hit her with enough strength to make her understand the whole situation.

To make her understand that the virus wasn't there anymore.

To make her realize that her idea had really worked.

To make her accept the fact that, more than ever, he was really standing by her side.

And that was exactly what happened after a good staring section between such intense orbs. The pinkette finally opened her eyes to the world again and she couldn't have asked for a better welcome sight.

"Sasuke-kun… So, what you're saying i-is…" Tears started to pool in her eyes, as her nose became redder and her lips pouted. That was the Sakura he knows, he thought. She was back, at last.

"I am saying that I am-"

"You're alive!" She cried, wrapping her arms around his neck and burring her head on his shoulder. Sakura was sure she was soaking his shirt, but at the moment, she couldn't care less about his clothing. She just cared about him and about the fact that he was alive and healthy. The love of her life had been saved. And it was all thanks to her.

"Hn…"

He tapped her back slowly, helping her to return to her previous position. Those crying, childish eyes of hers were simply stunning at the moment, and for that, Sasuke didn't even try to wipe her tears away. On that time, he let them fall for they weren't expressing sadness anymore. They were showing how happy they were for seeing him alive after what seemed to have been more than eternity itself. They were happy to have him by her side. And that was a spot he would never want to share with anyone.

At the moment her eyes were normal again, Sasuke noticed a certain confusion still hovering over her head. He could see the worries in her eyes and in the way her free hand was gripping tightly on the blankets that were covering her lap. He could see her anguish and knowing his wife like he does, the raven haired man could bet anything that the reason behind her torment was no other than the virus itself. There were still unanswered questions in her mind, and even if he wanted to spare her for a little longer, the male Uchiha knew that his wife wouldn't want to wait to know about the latest news. Sakura wouldn't wait, and if he didn't tell her everything, chances were that she would get up from that bed and go look for answers on her own. She is impulsive, stubborn and really really impatient. And those were the things that kept him alive after everything was already lost.

" … Is there anything bothering you, Sakura?"

"…" She looked at him, simply nodding. " Well… What happened after I collapsed? What happened to the infected? What happened to us?"

"Hn… After you collapsed, I started to feel my strength coming back and I managed to send a message to your master. She came to our house with some other people from the medic squad and I told them exactly what you did to produce the serum with the correct antibodies… Your master was really proud of you after hearing my words…"

A light lit up inside of her heart as a wave of happiness took over her body. So her master wasn't disappointed in her, after all…

" And then what happened after that?"

"… They took us to the hospital and ran some exams on both of us… They took our blood for testing and they even took yours to help other patients in extreme need… Hn, you can even say you've donated blood to every single one who was here…"

" Aren't the patients here anymore?"

"No."

"How come?! It's still too early for them to leave! It's been what… 2-"

"It's been almost a week already, Sakura… You've been resting for almost a week…"

"What?" Her eyes widened. Never before she had slept for so long. " Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't have let me sleep!

"What? And what should I have done!?"

"Tch… You should have woken me up… There was still work to be done around here."

As he blankly watched her puffed cheeks, the male Uchiha did his best not to yell at her in order to teach his wife a lesson about taking care of herself. There was no way he would have woken her up and no way he would have even let her do anything in her condition. Sakura was more than just exhausted after producing the serum and more than anyone in that village she deserved a rest. A long and energetic rest to fill her tanks and to restore a part of her health. Her body needed special cares at the moment. And it was his duty as her husband to make sure she remained healthy. To make sure she felt proud of herself.

" You're impossible, Sakura… Having saved the whole village isn't enough already?"

"… But I didn't do it all by myself. You also he-"

The end of that phrase never met the external world. Just before it could leave, his hand went to the back of her neck and puled her face closer so his lips were smoothly pressed against hers. Lips so chaste that served only for shutting her mouth and for making Sakura swallow back those letters. The male Uchiha wouldn't allow her to share her efforts with anyone for he knew how hard she had worked for that serum. He knew how much of herself she had sacrificed for the sake of the others and for that there was no way he would let her credits be given to someone else, even if she was the one giving them away. Sasuke would never let her finish that sentence. And he would kiss her every time she tried to if it was necessary.

It was only after some good twenty-seconds that they both parted their lips from that kiss. Sakura was left blushing after that, while their foreheads were resting against each other and they both recovered their air. That kiss had been the best thing she had received ever since she woke up, and even after he broke their connection, the rosette felt something weighting down her neck. It was almost imperceptible, but once her eyes looked down, they soon identified a silver necklace with a horse pin attached to it. After seeing it and touching it, her cheeks became even redder, and before she could even say anything in response to that, her husband decided to take the initiative.

" You did it all by yourself… You did it with your own strength. A strength similar to a horse."

" Sasuke-kun…"

" I love you…"

Watery eyes observed the raven haired man in front of her as she held the pendant with her right hand. Her cheek was softly brushing against his own, as his lips were innocently hovering over the corners of her mouth. Her husband was being so gentle and sweet that, for a brief moment, she could swear that there were real butterflies living in her stomach. Everything was simply perfect at that moment and she doubted it could get any better after such meaningful surprise from her husband. She still could not believe he had bought her a horse necklace as a reminder of her crazy idea, as he had called it. Sakura didn't really need any present as a reward for saving his life, yet just because she didn't need it, it didn't mean she wasn't happy for receiving it. The fact that he chose it for her and the meaning behind that silver horse meant more than anything in the world at that moment. The pink haired medic was exhaling happiness and love at that moment, and if not for the fact that her muscles were still hurt, the female Uchiha would have thrown herself on him already. At that moment, Sakura just couldn't wait for them to be alone at home so they could properly be together as a couple. She wanted him for herself more than anything at that moment. She wanted to hug him so tight he wouldn't breath and she wanted to hold him close so they would never be apart again. She wanted to stay close by his side like that for eternity if she could. Just the two of them, forever. However, some things can't be controlled. And these things are annoying just like a fox.

" I love you t-"

"Tch… Dobe…"

" Are we interrupting the couple?"

With a foxy grin playing on his lips, the future Hokage of the Leaf, like a worm, was indelicately peeking on his best friends' conversation through the wide opened door. His intense sapphire eyes observed cautiously the whole scene that was happening inside that room and by the way those two eyes were shinning, it was possible to tell that he had seen something in there that made him quite happy. Naruto had been there since who knows when, but it was only after that warm scene that he coincidentally decided to announce himself, and wether he had seen it or not, Sasuke was sure the blonde wouldn't miss the opportunity of teasing him about it later. It would be just a matter of time, but that time could wait for the big star of the day was the pink haired girl. And all of those eyes just couldn't wait to see her.

"Of course not, Naruto." Sakura said, smiling weakly at her friend. " Come in. I'm really happy to see you here!"

"hehe. I am also happy to see you, Sakura-chan! Time here didn't let anyone pay you a visit. He stood by your side every day and every time we asked about you, his eyes would get all watery because of his wife!"

Both of the Uchihas blushed madly at those comments, making Sasuke quickly turn around from his wife. If she saw him blushing like that, she would discover that Naruto's words were truth and that would be just too embarrassing for him to bare. That stupid Naruto...

"Is it true, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, just observing as the tips of his ears became red. That silly husband of hers...

"Hn."

" Tch, you are an idiot, Naruto." The blonde girl came shortly after him, holding a bouquet of flowers on her hands. " You should have said that they were in the middle of something important… You really recover fast, Forehead. " Ino smirked, sending her best friend a teasing glare.

"Pig…"

" Hmph, as if I would let Teme do something to Sakura-chan in that state!"

"Oi, Dobe, I wasn't-"

"You kids have grown up so fast…" A gray haired man came from behind, with a smile being suppressed by his mask. Still, even if not visible, it was possible to tell that their former sensei was quite happy for his students and their grown up initiatives. " Hello, Sasuke. How are you feeling, Sakura?"

"Kakashi-sensei! I am okay, thank you for coming!"

" No problem… Now, maybe we should leave you two alone again, right?"

" Tch… You pervert old man…" The male Uchiha said, taking his palm to his face and finally standing up from his seat. If he sat there any longer, the others that were coming would continue to say those kind of things about them.

" So Ugly and Traitor-kun are committing inappropriate acts in there? Aw… Aren't you two too old for that already?"

"Sai, you…" Sakura's fists clenched tightly. She would definitely kill him once her body was fully recovered.

" Kakashi-senpai is right… Maybe we shouldn't interrupt them."

"Even you, Yamato-taichou!" Sakura blushed, hiding her face in the blankets. Being seen as a pervert by all of her friends wasn't really that good, but there was one person among them who would wipe all of her embarrassment away. And that person had just arrived.

"Hn. Leave my apprentice alone, will you?"

Her honey colored eyes sent a deadly glare to all of them, as she made her way towards the bed. Her heels were the only sound captured by Sakura's ears and once that sound stopped, the pinkette knew her master was standing in front of her. The powerful Godaime of the Leaf was there to see her, with an intimidating face that, soon, disappeared into a proud smile. Tsunade couldn't have chosen a better person to take over her legacy, indeed.

"Tsunade-sama…." Her forest green eyes were looking confusedly at her master, as the blonde simply stood there.

"Sakura…" She said, placing her hand over her student's pink head. "You've done an excellent job… I am proud of you."

And so, after the whole tension dissipated in the air and all of the other visitors approached the pinkette's bed, his dark eyes observed cautiously the scene that happened in front of him. He saw how all of them were happy to see his wife and how all of them worried about her almost as much as he did. Sasuke knew how hard the last few days had been and he was glad that all of that chaos was over at last. He was glad because, after what felt like an eternity, he would be able to see her full smile once again. He was glad because he knew how much that virus had damaged his wife until she could finally wipe it away from Konoha. He was glad to be there to see it all and to stand by her side once again, just like before. However, not everything was the same as before the epidemic, no. She was not the same anymore. Sakura was stronger after that and she proved to herself and everyone else that she is the best in what she does. His wife proved everyone that she had surpassed her master. And he couldn't be any prouder of the one who saved Konoha.

"Eh, Sakura-chan! If it was me who had gotten infected, would you have done the same as you did with Teme?"

"Uh? What a stupid question, Naruto. Of course I would-"

"No, she wouldn't, Dobe." Sasuke said, stepping in and placing his hand on her shoulder, smirking at his loud best friend.

" Eh? And why not, Teme?!"

" Hn, because you're just her friend… I, on the other hand, am more than that…. I am her husband. The husband of the newest hero of Konoha.

.

.

.

 _ **The End.**_


End file.
